“Hugo Lloris Reflects on the Disappointment of the 2019 Champions League Final and a Meaningful Gesture from Daniel Levy” 2024-11-07

In exclusive excerpts from his autobiography, Hugo Lloris reflects on a poignant moment that made him realize Tottenham Hotspur's acceptance of mediocrity, triggered by a well-intentioned gift from club chairman before the 2019 Champions League final. Just months after competing in the World Cup final, I found myself facing Liverpool in the Champions League final. This achievement placed me among a rare group of players who have participated in a Euros final, a World Cup final, and a Champions League final in consecutive years. The day before the match in Madrid, I bumped into Dejan Lovren, a defender for Liverpool and a former teammate at Lyon. He jokingly said, “Hey, Hugo, you’ve got the World Cup; you can let me have the Champions League!” Unfortunately, I couldn’t grant him that wish. The match slipped away from us almost immediately. A penalty was awarded by referee just 24 seconds into the game when the ball hit ’s body and then his hand. This early decision effectively derailed our chances. It’s worth noting that a rule change implemented the following day would have meant that such a handball wouldn’t have resulted in a penalty. But on June 1, 2019, that decision sealed our fate before the match had truly begun.

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Question 1: What significant matches had Hugo Lloris played in prior to the 2019 Champions League final?

Hugo Lloris had played in a Euros final, a World Cup final, and then the Champions League final in succession.

Question 2: What incident during the Champions League final against Liverpool affected the outcome of the match?

A penalty was awarded to Liverpool just 24 seconds into the match when the ball struck Moussa Sissoko’s body and then his hand, which significantly impacted the game.

Question 3: How did the rules regarding handball change after the Champions League final?

From 2 June 2019, a penalty would no longer be awarded if the ball struck a player's hand after touching another part of their body, which would have changed the outcome of the final had it occurred a day later.

Question 4: Who did Lloris run into the day before the Champions League final, and what did that person jokingly say?

Lloris ran into Dejan Lovren, a defender for Liverpool and his former teammate at Lyon, who jokingly said, "Hey, Hugo, you got the World Cup, you can let me have the Champions League!"

Question 5: What gesture did Daniel Levy make to Lloris before the Champions League final, and how did Lloris feel about it?

Daniel Levy gave Lloris a luxury watch as a gesture, which made Lloris realize that Spurs might accept being second best, leading to his dismay.